Take Action: Time to Act on Climate Change, Sierra Club Ends Civil Disobedience Ban, Tell Senator Schumer to Stand Against Benefit Cuts

In his inaugural speech, President Obama promised to confront climate change. To do that, he must end the detrimental “all of the above” energy policy of his first term. Please add your name as a co-signer to the open letter urging him to take bold action to confront climate change now. His support for fracking and drilling, coal mines and pipelines, continues to obliterate the progress he could be making with his administration’s gas mileage rule, or his investments in renewable energy. Even if he finally issues a carbon pollution rule that addresses existing sources of pollution, it will mean nothing if he is simultaneously lighting the fuses on carbon bombs by approving the Keystone XL pipeline, Arctic drilling, or fossil fuel export projects. This is the moment. He must lead and take action, starting first and foremost with the rejection of the presidential permit required by the Keystone XL pipeline, which is his decision and his alone.

After 120 years of fighting to protect America’s land, water, and air, one of the the nation’s largest and oldest environmental organizations—The Sierra Club—has at last decided to end its refusal to participate in acts of civil disobedience. In a letter to the group’s membership, which numbers over one million, the executive director of The Sierra Club, Michael Brune, announced: “For 120 years, we have remained committed to using every ‘lawful means’ to achieve our objectives. Now, for the first time in our history, we are prepared to go further.” Specifically, Brune said, “the Sierra Club will officially participate in an act of peaceful civil resistance” at the White House next month on President’s Day weekend.

The protest, organized by Sierra Club and 350.org, hopes to see thousands of Americans heading to Washington to create “the largest climate rally in history.” The aim will to be to urge President Obama and other political leaders to cancel plans for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline and spawn meaningful climate action. For many of us who have been frustrated and fearful, and at times felt hopeless, about the pressing issue of climate change, this is our chance to make our voices heard. We need to ensure that President Obama knows that we do not want, and can not, continue to poison this planet, leaving it in dismay for our children and grand-children to deal with. If you would like to take a stand, along with thousands of others, please sign up for the protest here. We are also currently getting a bus together for Long Islanders. If you are interested in riding down with us, please contact me at Bhavani@ieatgreen.com

Senator Chuck Schumer’s office proposed cutting Social Security and Medicare benefits. Journalists report that a Schumer aide said, “the joint budget resolution could also call for Medicare reforms and using the chained CPI formula to curb the cost of Social Security benefits.”This is unacceptable. Please make a call today and tell Sen. Schumer to stand against Medicare and Social Security benefit cuts.